Kress at Third & Main
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
The Kress at Third & Main Project is comprised of three buildings in Baton Rouge, LA. All three are on the National Register of Historic Places. Commonly called the "Kress Levy Building", the buildings were constructed individually in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The Kress Building was a focal center of social exchange in the early 1960s highlighted by the widely enjoyed cafeteria/soda fountain area of the store. Unfortunately, the social exchange environment was restricted to whites-only. In March 1960, nine African American college students from Southern University challenged this segregated practice and were turned away, arrested and expelled from school. The students were represented by Thurgood Marshall and the case was ultimately decided in their favor by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Cyntreniks completed rehabilitation in 2009 of the three properties into a single multi-use building with 19,000 square feet of retail space, 12,000 square feet of office space and 19 residential condos. The exterior was renovated to as close to the original design and construction as feasible. This $22 million project was made possible through the use of a combination of Federal and State Historic Tax Credits and Federal and State New Markets Tax Credits.
"Dudley Ventures’ role in KRESS at Third and Main goes beyond the purchase of the Federal Historic Tax credits. Jim Howard and his tremendous staff share our passion for the project and collectively, serve as a guiding beacon of knowledge, expertise and wisdom for us as we undertake this historic rehabilitation venture. We consider ourselves partners."
John Schneider,
Cyntreniks